Jon Kyl joins Covington & Burling

Recently retired Sen. Jon Kyl has joined Covington & Burling as part of the firm’s expansion of its public policy and government affairs practice, POLITICO has learned.

Kyl, who retired in January, will be advising clients and working with Covington’s government affairs team as he waits out the two-year period during which ethics laws prohibit him from lobbying.

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The Arizona Republican and former Senate minority whip’s move to Covington comes months after the firm brought on Dan Bryant, former senior vice president of global public policy and government affairs at PepsiCo, to oversee the growth of its public policy practice in Washington and Brussels.

Despite receiving several offers since retiring from the Senate, Kyl said he knew Covington would be the right fit for him.

“I actually had my eye on Covington from Day One,” he told POLITICO. “I had a serious law practice, and with the experience I gained in Congress, I think I have acquired the knowledge and judgment to help clients that reflects my legal training and experience in Congress.”

Kyl said although his work for Covington will be the focus of his post-congressional career, he also will be involved with Arizona State University and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank.

As a former member of the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, Kyl will advise Covington clients on two of the biggest issues of the year — tax reform and immigration reform. He also will be working on issues related to health care and intellectual property.

“He has deep expertise in the tax area. Given that the tax reform agenda is lurching forward in 2013 and 2014, the senator will provide crucial guidance to the firm’s clients,” Bryant said. “Having someone who can get inside a great big multifaceted issue like tax reform and really understand the way it’s playing out comprehensively on the Hill will be invaluable.”

Kyl, who spent 26 years in Congress, was the top Republican on the Subcommittee on Taxation and Internal Revenue Service Oversight. By bringing on a big name former senator, Covington, which did not have a retired member of Congress on staff, is hoping to boost its influence globally.

“Having a marquee name can only help, so I think having someone of his recognized stature will be helpful as we are signaling to clients the kind of capacity that we’re continuing to build,” Bryant said.